. >> reporter: and using domestic harmony as an analogy for the nsa's spying program. how americans should trust but verify. >> if i tell michelle that i did the dishes, now, granted, in the white house i don't do the dishes that much. but back in the day. and she's a little skeptical. i'd like her to trust me. but maybe i need to bring her back and show her the dishes. >> reporter: president obama came into the east room of the white house to talk about america's surveillance system. but he also came armed with a set of awkward anecdotes and mixed metaphors. it was a presidential play-by-play, off-the-cuff remarks, in real-time. and he didn't take it easy, even on himself. >> there's going to be glitches. no doubt about it. that's true, by the way, of a car company rolling out a new car. it's true of apple rolling out the new ipad. >> reporter: before the hour was up, he even asked a question of his own, to a "wall street journal" reporter, on the birth of her son. >> and, carol, congratulations on hudson. do you have pictures? >> reporter: now, there were serious mom